A 20-something team leader of a Cambodia-based voice phishing organization received a four-year prison sentence in the first trial. Yonhap News

A 20-something team leader of a Cambodia-based voice phishing organization has been sentenced to prison in the first trial.

On the 14th, the Seoul Eastern District Court's Criminal Division 11 (Presiding Judge Kang Min-ho) sentenced Mr. Kang (28) to four years in prison for charges including joining a criminal organization, and ordered the confiscation of the criminal proceeds earned by Mr. Kang, amounting to 14,198,000 won.

Mr. Kang worked as a team leader for the "body-cam phishing team" within the voice phishing organization "Hanya Call Center." Body-cam phishing is a type of phishing that primarily targets men, induces them into lewd acts, records them on video, and then extorts money by threatening to distribute the footage to their acquaintances.

He was brought to trial on charges of managing women who recorded explicit video calls within the team and serving as a supplier of illicit bank accounts.

The court pointed out, "The defendant performed a role in the continuation and maintenance of an illegal organization, actively participated as a member even after returning to Korea from Cambodia, and knowingly fled to Cambodia to engage in voice phishing crimes despite being aware of their illegality."

It further stated the sentencing reasons, "Telecom and financial fraud crimes generate indiscriminate victims and cause severe damage to society. Criminal organizations operating abroad are specialized and their crimes are sophisticated, making them difficult to detect."

Meanwhile, the leader of the Hanya Call Center is known to be a foreigner referred to as "Ma Dong-seok."

Additionally, other members of the same organization who committed crimes alongside Mr. Kang have also been sentenced to prison.

On January 31st, organization members Jeong (26) and Choi (31), who were indicted on charges including joining a criminal organization, were sentenced to three years and six months in prison respectively, and Kim (30) was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

Editorial Department